


In which Prompto gets sick, and Ignis gets kissed

by Xylianna



Series: Gladnis Week 2017 [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gladio is good at nonverbal explanations, Iggy is so smart but so clueless, M/M, tiny bit of Noct
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-07
Updated: 2017-12-07
Packaged: 2019-02-11 14:33:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12937311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xylianna/pseuds/Xylianna
Summary: Day 3 prompt: Gladio & Ignis get tricked by Prompto and Noct into going on a date





	In which Prompto gets sick, and Ignis gets kissed

**Author's Note:**

> Day 3 prompt: Gladio & Ignis get tricked by Prompto and Noct into going on a date

Ignis Scientia caught his reflection in the glass of the doors as he entered the restaurant and almost smirked. He managed to halt the expression when it most resembled a polite smile. He saw his hair had come through the walk perfectly in place. The cool air of the night had tinged his cheeks and nose-tip pink. He was grateful for the black wool coat which served to both keep him warm and protect his immaculate three piece suit from the elements.

He looked good, he knew it, and he was in far too good a mood to deny the subtle boost being reminded of the fact gave his ego.

Noct had been surprisingly cooperative that day throughout their lessons, paid remarkable attention during the Council meeting, and had set to his homework with alacrity when they arrived at his apartment. Ignis didn’t have to wonder what prompted the uncharacteristic behavior for long, however.

“Please, Specs?” the Prince had wheedled, giving his advisor a pleading look, his blue eyes luminous with hope. “Can we just go do pizza tonight? At the place with the arcade? I mean, it’s Friday, and we can invite Gladio, so we’ll have security, and… please?” Noctis babbled in a torrent.

Most unusual. But, the Prince was under a lot of pressure… and surely it would do him good to blow off steam with his friend.

“Let me see if Gladiolus is available,” Ignis had said, pulling out his phone. A quick exchange of texts proved that the Shield was amenable to Noct’s notion.

So now Ignis found himself at a loud pizza parlor, raucous noise and riotous lights flooding out from the arcade room. His good spirits couldn’t be dampened by all the clamor, no. It was far too good of a day. He hoped (probably in vain) that things would continue along this path for a while, that Noct stayed so focused and dedicated, and…

Well. Perhaps best not to get his hopes up _too_ high.

Spotting Gladio, he waved to get the man’s attention. “Good evening, Gladiolus.”

“Hey, Iggy,” said Gladio with an easy grin. “Where’s Princess?”

Ignis sighed. “He insisted on picking up Prompto. I would think the driver should be dropping them both off any time now.”

“Cool.” Gladio glanced around, maintaining a constant awareness of his environment and assessing all potential threats. It wouldn’t do to let his guard down, even at the local pizza joint. “I already grabbed a table, if you want to go sit. I’ll go wait for ‘em by the door.”

Ignis nodded, and seated himself at the indicated table. Never one to spend a moment idle when he could work on his never ending to-do list, he pulled out his phone and began checking his email. A text came through after a few minutes, however, that had his eyebrows raising well above the upper edge of his glasses.

**Noctis: Hey Specs, Prompto’s not feeling well, we’re just gonna stay at my place and play King’s Knight. Sorry for the short notice. You should still get some food though. Say hi to Gladio for us.**

With an irritated sigh, Ignis sent off a succinct reply, expressing his hopes that Noct’s friend felt better soon, and a reminder to the Prince that they would meet the next morning to review the day’s agenda over breakfast. He looked to see if he could catch sight of Gladio from there, but the place was too crowded. Since he still had his phone out, he shot a quick message to the Shield, advising him as to the change of plans.

A couple minutes later, Gladio approached the table balancing a heaping platter of pizza, a bowl of salad, and some serving plates, forks, and napkins. After dumping it all unceremoniously on the table, he dropped into the seat across from Ignis. “So, you get the night off babysitting,” he grinned as he loaded his plate with a couple large slices of pepperoni pizza. “Whatcha gonna do with all the free time?” 

Ignis sighed, and served himself up a bowl of salad, choosing to let the pizza cool off a bit before digging in. Not everyone could have the apparently heat-resistant mouth of Gladiolus Amicitia.

The Royal Strategist felt himself flush, and quickly shifted his line of sight from the uncomfortably tantalizing view of Gladio’s face - and that mouth - down to his bowl of salad.

He belated realized the other man had asked him a question. Cheeks dusted with a light blush at the oversight, he replied, “Prepare for tomorrow, I imagine.” He adjusted his glasses and adopted a put-upon expression. “You can’t imagine how far behind this dinner will set me. It’s almost a relief poor Prompto wasn’t feeling up to the outing. Now I’ll get home sooner, and can get a head start on tomorrow morning’s work.”

Gladio snorted indelicately. “Oh yeah, I bet Prom's reeeaaal sick, Iggy.” 

Ignis blinked. “Noctis said as much in his text message, yes.”

The Shield shook his head slowly, an expression of incredulous disbelief painted across his sun-bronzed features. “Dude.”

“What?”

“ _Dude!_ ”

“ _What?!_ ”

Gladio laughed, the sound filled with enough infectious good-humor that Ignis almost found himself joining in, even without knowing what prompted it.

Almost.

“Are you going to explain yourself?” Ignis asked, voice a bit testy, sitting up more precisely and folding his hands on the table in front of him, food forgotten for now.

Gladio’s expression shifted into a warm, but rueful, smile. “Dude,” he repeated one last time, for posterity’s sake. “They’re setting us up.”

Ignis frowned, lines marring the porcelain skin of his brow. “For what?”

His compatriot’s response was to just stare at him.

“What _now_?” Ignis asked, feeling his cheeks heat again. 

“Iggy,” Gladio started to speak slowly, enunciating very clearly, his amber eyes earnest. “Setting us up. With each other.” He gestured around at the restaurant, the food on the table. “They sent us on a date.”

Now Ignis found himself rendered speechless. He removed his glasses and began to clean the lenses, a gesture which usually calmed him and gave him a moment to sort out his thoughts. But, all to soon, the glasses were pristine, and his brain was still spinning in a bewildered tumble.

He had certainly noticed how attractive Gladio was. Who wouldn’t? The man was practically a work of art. And as they’d grown closer, their orbits around the Prince inexorably drawing them together, he had discovered hidden depths in the Amicitia heir. While much of his time was obviously devoted to developing and perfecting his fighting skills, the Shield was also a voracious reader, enjoyed touring art galleries, and spent as much time as he could with his little sister, Iris.

Gladio was, in a word, amazing.

So, obviously, Ignis had never truly considered trying to pursue anything with the man beyond the friendship that had spawned from their professional rapport, because what could a man like Gladiolus Amicitia, with his pick almost every single woman and man in Insomnia, want with _him_?

Ignis was highly aware of his skills. He didn’t consider that being overly prideful, he considered it being honest. He had trained for years to get to this point, after all. He was used to the feeling that came from walking into nearly any room and immediately knowing you’re the smartest person within.

It was a lonely feeling.

He was also painfully aware of his many shortcomings. He was a workaholic, he had a woefully inadequate set of social skills outside of formal occasions (as tonight was demonstrating in lurid detail), and his few hobbies were strictly solitary activities. Ignis couldn't even remember the last time he'd gone out on a date.

“Iggy,” Gladio spoke up again, cutting off his ruminations. “Dude, say _something_.”

Ignis looked up and met Gladio’s eyes, wearing a carefully sculpted, emotionless, professionally polite mask. “That seems quite silly, Gladiolus. Perhaps this is a youthful prank on their part. Noct knows that I hardly consider this food,” he said, gesturing at his as of yet untouched pizza. “Or perhaps Prompto is truly ill, and you’re jumping to conclusions."

“Iggy.”

“ _What_?” If Ignis’s voice was a bit strained, he would chalk it up to the noise of the place giving him a headache. 

Gladio sighed, shook his head, leaned forward, and kissed him.

Ignis was almost too startled to kiss him back.

Almost.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you don't mind, leave me a kudos or comment so I know you enjoyed! <3
> 
> Did I make a mistake? Could I make something better? Please give me your constructive feedback if you have any! <3
> 
>  
> 
> Edited to add: Trying out a different title than "Gladnis 2017 Day 3". Not sure if I like it, and open to suggestions.


End file.
